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Welcome to rachelsays... The blog of Rachel Lewis, containing my thoughts and musings on illustration, design, fashion, music, cakey-bakey goodness, culture and things that I generally find cool. There's also a good chance my own illustration work will pop up on here.

All work on this blog is copyright to me unless I state that it isn't. Obviously. Don't do stealing, kids.

So come on in, have a look around, and leave a comment if you like what you see.

www.rachelsayshello.com
contact [at] rachelsayshello.com

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Rachel says hello.

Sorry for not posting in a while, I keep meaning to but have been a bit busy =/

The main thing I've been doing (aside from too much socialising) is sorting my website out. It's nearly finished, I posted about it when I'd just started, so thought it's time to get it out there!


All my work is up there now (hurrah), I just need to write a bio and sort the backgrounds out. Writing a bio is hard so I'm sort of putting it off. Ha. I'll do it by the end of the week.

I'm building it using Indexhibit, which is quite brilliant actually. I can't remember exactly how I stumbled across it but it's created by the awesome Daniel Eatock (who I mentioned in my last post) and I don't how how I could have done my website without it. I have no idea how to use Dreamweaver and have basic knowledge of HTML so this was kind of a lifesaver. And, in my opinion, it looks dead cool.

Some participants have made theirs so spangly it's untrue. Mine is semi boring in comparison. But I'm sure they know all kind of interweb tricks and such. Mine is going to be a work in progress, definitely. At the moment, I just want it live and kicking in time for my degree show. Which I'm getting super excited about. We're going to start building/painting it soon hurrah.

Anyway, I'm so happy to have got all my recent work up there, including my recent editorial illustrations:


What's the greenest way to recharge my gadgets?


Olive oil is good for you, and the planet... Isn't it?



Bottled water sales drop off

Is there an eco perfume for Valentine's Day?

They are all based on articles on environmental issues. I love doing editorial illustrations, now I have more time on my hands I definitely need to do some more soon.


I'm getting a bit worried about all this recession business. Now, I know it's been like this for a while now. But while studying it was a bit like... it didn't really have anything to do with me. But now I'm looking for jobs, it's suddenly quite scary. I've applied to quite a few and haven't got anywhere yet. And I'm just looking for anything right now, design placements to shop jobs, anything. I had a call back for a 2nd interview at Topman the other day, and omg I so wanted that job. It was going to be perfect for me. But I didn't get it... bit gutting. I just didn't have enough experience. And at the moment, employers can be pretty choosey because there's so many applicants. But you hear about 50 yr old managing directors getting laid off and not being able to find a job anywhere. It's all a bit scary. I just hope I can find something soon because I have no money, and if I have no money it means I can't stay in Wolves, and I love my family but I can't go home. I just can't.

Ideally, someone will come along and be like "You there, do some awesome illustrations for me, here's a pile of money!" Haha. Or not.

But that makes me wonder about the recession and illustration. Not design in general, there's tons of stuff around about design and the recession, but illustration. That's another post I feel.

I'm sure I'll find a job. I have to, right?

Older posts on editorial illustrations

9 comments:

dot said...

i am truly amazed by your work....

Rachel Lewis Illustration said...

Thank you so much! That's really kind of you, thanks for commenting :)

dot said...

i reply to you here, as you probably read this quicker than on my own profile ;) i am that girl that wrote an article for your Gingerbread People :)

Chloe Wilson said...

Just popped over from your comment on Problogger Day 5. I checked out your website and I think the homepage is very cool and funky. Good luck with your bio piece!

I noticed you mention taking down a photo on your Forumala 1 post. Did the copyright owner contact you then? Were they nice about it? I've been using Flickr Creative Commons photos for my blog.

Loved your University post - very insightful and it takes me back a few years.

I know nothing about art but I liked your postcard designs.

Happy blogging!

Winnie said...

Firstly I love that illustration with the laptop.

Secondly I agree, with the amount of applicants it's so hard to find a job even if it is just retail. Hope you manage to find something soon though.

Lastly I agree with the whole designer collaboration thing- the fact that in the end it isn't 100% the designer and there is always a quality issue. Like McQueen's line for Target really isn't going to be as good as the real deal. That's not to say that I wouldn't be first in line if my favourite designers did a collab. If there is something I like then there is no escaping from the much less elitest and healthier price tag.

Kandace said...

My boyfriend is just graduated and it's not good here either. Money is tight with everyone everywhere. But as for your illustrations I can't not see you getting somewhere they're amazing. And you know how I feel about environmental issues.

Rachel Lewis Illustration said...

Thanks for the nice comments guys ^.^

Zara said...

Hello there! Thanks for your kind comments on my blog - your work is great and I love your new website, it really shows your illustrations off well.

Don't worry about life after graduation - it's not easy but if anything is easy then it's probably not worth doing. Enjoy it!

Keep up the good work,

Z x

PS Ah, Wolverhampton - I'm from a place not far from Wolves. I lived in Wolverhampton for a year too, actually...small world!

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